Pacific Overtures

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Pacific Overtures

Original Broadway Version (1976)

Two friends caught in the inevitable winds of change tell of Japan's painful and harrowing Westernization.

Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman (authors of Assassins) mix elements of Kabuki theatre with the conventions of the Broadway musical in Pacific Overtures, a highly original, inventive, powerful, educational and surprisingly humorous theatrical experience. Considered by many to be the artistic pinnacle of the legendary Sondheim/Prince collaborations, this exploration of culture and imperialism pushes the boundaries of musical theatre further than ever before.

Commodore Matthew Perry's 1853 mission to open trade relations with isolationist Japan through gunboat diplomacy forges an unlikely friendship between the samurai, Kayama, and the Americanized fisherman, Manjiro. Kayama and Manjiro – and all of Japanese society – must face the wave of Westernization that follows.

Its epic scope, ethnic cast and subject matter, and sheer ambition make Pacific Overtures a unique and worthwhile effort for any theatre, large or small, that is looking for a challenge.

Concert Selections for Pacific Overtures

Concert Selections are original Broadway orchestrations and exciting new symphonic arrangements of select songs for use in concert performances. Concert Selections are the perfect way to give audiences a taste of the musical theatre experience without the sets, props and costumes.

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